Portable chair kit for completely bathin oneself in sittin position

ABSTRACT

A portable chair kit for bathing people completely, oneself, and in sitting position is disclosed. The portable chair kit includes a plastic chair, which is now in mass production for outdoor residential use, a tray secured to feet of the chair, a tub mat with suction caps on the bottom surface for securing with bathtub, and a Velcro fasteners on the upper surface for fastening with said tray to provide fixing said chair in the bathtub, a water supply means, and means of a bathtub accessories. All parts of the portable chair kit, except said tray, are in production for sale.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation-in-part U.S. application Ser. No. 10/922,290 filed Aug. 20, 2004 now U.S. Pat. No 6,912,740.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to bathing devices and more particularly pertains to a portable chair kit for assisting elderly persons completely bathing oneself in sitting position.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Many devices today provide means to allow an elderly or persons of limited dexterity to gain access to a bathtub. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 4,628,550 to Walton, U.S. Pat. No. 5,606,751 to Baker, U.S. Pat. No. 6,240,577 to Worthy and some others discloses apparatus in which the bather is seated in the chair from outside the bathtub, than the chair is rotated and slid until the person is positioned inside the bathtub for bathing or showering. While all of these devices fulfill their respective, particular objective and requirement, the aforementioned patents do not disclose an apparatus permitting the users to bathe oneself completely without an assistant. Moreover, in conventional bathrooms the taps for adjusting the consumption and temperature of the water and toilet are installed at one wall and there absent space for suggested devices. So, the suggested devices can be installed only at the opposite wall that is to far for the bather to adjust water in sitting position.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,040,335 to Gelman and U.S. Pat. No. 4,150,445 to Bailly shown a shower chair assembly whereby the sprays directed from under the seat, can cleans the ano-genital areas of the body. However, the users of the both of these devices can't completely bathe themselves without assisting by another person. Furthermore, these suggested devices are too complicated and unacceptable for the present purposes due both to the relatively high initial cost, and also to the loss or restriction of the facility for normal use when anyone wishes a regular shower or bath.

In U.S. Pat. No. 6,912,740 I presented an apparatus for completely bathing oneself by users of wheelchair and an elderly, infirm people. Accordingly of the patent the bathing chair seat is fixed in position over the longitudinal lip of the bathtub to let the user sit down on the chair as well as he sat on a standard chair or toilet. The user back in this case is in area of the bathtub, while the feet are out and the water, which coming out is gathered by curtain in folding tray and pumped back in the bathtub. The apparatus includes a carriage, which slides up and down and has a reciprocation belt for soaping, scratching and massaging all bathers back. The chair seat is equipped also with a sprinkler for washing the bottom parts of the body. As disadvantages of this suggested device can be related: to complicated, high relatively cost, and restriction of the facility for normal use when anyone whishes a regular shower or bath.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an essential objective of the present invention to provide a portable chair kit for completely bathing in safety and comfort for a broad category of users, including elderly and persons of limited dexterity.

It is another objective of the present invention to provide a portable chair kit which can be operated by user in sitting position without the aid of another person.

It is still another objective of the present invention to provide a portable chair kit which doesn't require any special modification to a conventional tub structure.

It is yet another objective of the present invention to provide a portable chair kit which can be quickly and easy installed and moved out when anyone wishes a regular shower or bath.

A further objective of the present invention is to provide a portable chair kit, which will conform to conventional forms of manufacture, be of simple constructional, easy to use, economically feasible, long lasting, and relatively trouble free in operation.

These together with other objectives of the invention, along with the various features of novelty, which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operation advantages and the specific benefits attained by its uses, refer to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the portable chair kit in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the primary structure;

FIG. 3 is a schematic view of the water supply system;

FIG. 4 is a plane view illustrated fastening foot of the chair with tray;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 4.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The portable chair kit of the present invention is designed to be easily installed and strengthened in the bathtub for bathing elderly people completely, oneself, and in sitting position. As shown in FIG. 1 the portable chair kit is positioned for use in conjunction with a domestic bathing and showering facility including a bathtub 5, installed in bathroom with front wall 2, adjacent wall 3, and rear wall 4, a pipe 28 with shower head 29, and a water control taps 6. The portable chair kit comprises: a plastic chair 10, a tray 15 secured to feet 14 of the chair by corresponding fasteners 52, a tub mat 20 with suction caps 23 on the bottom surface, a water supply means 25 (FIG. 3), and means of a bathtub accessories 45. The plastic chair 10 is basically made from polypropylene PP in same technology as the chairs which are in mass production for residential outdoor use and are manufactured by several American and Canada companies, for example by Syroco, Inc—7528 State Fair Blvd, Baldwinsville, N.Y. 13027, or Gracious Living Corp., Woodbridge, Ontario L4L 9J3, Canada. These chairs are relatively chip and intended for use by persons weighting up to 250 lbs. As a bathing device the chair 10 needed to be install in the bathtub so, that all accessories 45 will be accessibly to bather. The chair doesn't need any physical chances, except of preparing places for attaching tray 15 and water supply means 25. The tray 15 (FIGS. 2, 4 and 5) can be made by molding plastic PVC or like. It has rectangular shape with a drain hole 19 and is fixed to ends of the chair feet. On bottom surface of the tray 15 at each corner there are four support areas 16 with fixed strips 17 of Velcro fastener hook component. The bottom of the tray 15 and the ground of the bathtub has same configuration. The tub mat 20 with suction caps on the bottom are produced by several companies, for example by Henkel Consumer Adhesives, Inc. 32150 Just Imaging Avon, Ohio 44011. The size of the mat for a standard bathtub may be 16 in×30 in. On the upper surface of the tub mat 20 are fixed four places of strips 18 with Velcro fastener loop components. Dimensions between places of strip 18 are similar to dimensions between support areas 16 of the tray 15. So, after connection places 17 having Velcro hook component on the tray 15 with places 18 having Velcro loop component on the tub mat 20 it's provides fixation the tray 15 to the tub mat 20 and in the end strengthening the chair 10 in the bathtub. Also, the chair 10 is additionally strengthened in the bathtub by securing its handle 12 by Velcro fastener 13 to the grab bar 22, which is fixed on the adjacent wall 3 of the bathroom.

The water supply means 25, as shown in FIG. 3, comprises: a Rinse Ace connector 31, a hose 32 with tip 33, a tee 34, two valves 35 and 36, hand shower 37, spring coil 38, and four pieces of hoses 39, 40, 41, and 42 of suitable length. The Rinse Ace connector 31 together with hose 32 and tip 33 manufactured by Idea Factory N56 WI6865 Ridgewood Drive, Menomonee Falls, Wis. 53051 and are on sale. In a common bathroom the Rinse Ace connector 31 is installed between domestic pipe 28 and showerhead 29. When the tip 33 of the hose 32 is not attached to the connector 31 the water will flow through connector 31 to showerhead 29. But after attaching the tip 33 into the opening of the connector 31 the flow of water will be go only through the hose 32 to valves 35 and 36. Instead of Rinse Ace connecter 31 it can be installed diverter valve (not shown) for directing water for bathing, that is through hose 32 to valves 35 and 36, or to shower head 29. The valves 35 and 36 are fixed on the chair 10 in position for easily operation them by bather, to supplying water to hand shower 37 and to coil 38. The coil 38 is attached under seat 11 to provide spraying the bather's bottom parts of the body.

The means of bathing accessories 45 (FIG. 1) includes two bath grab bars 21 and 22 fixed accordingly on bathroom walls 2 and 3, an electrical or hand operated dispenser 46 of liquid soap, support 47 for hand shower 37, piece of bast 48, back scrubber 49, and shelf 51 for holding some bathing accessories. The grab bars 21 and 22 supported the bather interring and living the tub. Moreover, the grab bar 21, is used as support for bather in the process of bathing and the grab bar 22, as it mentioned before, for additional strengthening the chair 10 in the tub. The chair 10 is installed in the tub so, that all accessories 45 are accessibly to bather in sitting position.

For bathing oneself completely, safety, and in sitting position by using portable chair kit according to the present invention, the user firstly must adjust by control taps 6 the consumption and the temperature of the water and directed it by valves 35 and 36 to hand shower 37 and spring coil 38. After that: a) by using hand shower 37, piece of bast 48, and soap pumped from dispenser 46, he washes the head and front parts of the body including feet, which can be lean on the bath's edge, b) by using back scrubber 49, soap, and hand shower 37 the bather can washing his back, and c) by leaning on the grab 21 and using piece of bast 48, soap, and spring water from coil 38, he has access to cleanse the ano-genital area of the body.

Although particular embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention, and it is intended to cover in the appended claims all such changes and modifications that fall within the scope of the present invention. 

1. A portable chair kit for bathing people completely oneself, and in sitting position comprising: a chair; a tray secured to feet of said chair, said tray having a number of places with attached loop component strips of the Velcro fastener; a tub mat with suction caps on the bottom surface and a number of places with hook component strips of the Velcro fastener attached on the upper surface of said tub mat, said loop and hook strip places to be connected each other provides fastening said chair to said tub mat and in the end strengthening said chair in the bathtub; a water supply means, and means of bathing accessories.
 2. The portable chair kit of claim 1 wherein said char can be made in same technology as the plastic chairs which are in mass production for residential outdoor use.
 3. The portable chair kit of claim 1 wherein said chair is additionally strengthened in the bathtub by fasten chair's handle to grab bar which is fixed on the adjacent wall of the bathroom.
 4. The portable chair kit of claim 1 wherein said tray has bottom shape suitable to bottom surface of the bathtub.
 5. The portable chair kit of claim 1 wherein said water supply means comprises: a connector which directed water for bathing; a hand shower; a coil means for showering the user bottom, and some valves and hoses of corresponding length.
 6. The portable chair kit of claim 5 wherein said water supply means may be having diverter valve for directing water only for bathing or for showering.
 7. The portable chair kit of claim 1 wherein said means of bathing accessories includes: an electrical or hand operated soap dispenser; a back scrubber; a piece of bast; a shelf, and a grab bar for supporting in the process of bathing. 